SYNOPSICS
The Art of Being Straight (2008) is a English movie. Jesse Rosen has directed this movie. Jesse Janzen,Tyler Jenich,Bryan McGowan,Jared Grey are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2008. The Art of Being Straight (2008) is considered one of the best Comedy,Drama,Romance movie in India and around the world.
John thinks he's got it all figured out. He's young, good looking and has always had a way with the ladies. After a break-up with his girlfriend, he moves west to Los Angeles for a fresh start. He is officially back on the market and looking to score. Crashing on his buddy Andy's couch is a comforting return to the college patterns of partying, womanizing and trash talk with the guys. However, reconnecting with his old flame Maddie proves to be surprising when she introduces him to her girlfriend, Anna. An aspiring photographer, John takes an entry-level position at an ad agency, determined to prove himself. Things get a little confusing when Paul, a successful executive at the firm, takes a special interest in John, and when John ends up in Paul's bed, his world is turned completely upside down. The Art of Being Straight explores one man's unexpected search for identity. More than just a story of seduction, John's journey to find himself proves to be almost more than he can handle, ...
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The Art of Being Straight (2008) Reviews
A mediocre attempt
This film is about a young man who moves to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams. His life gets complicated when his boss takes a special interest in him. "The Art of Being Straight" is a realistic down to earth story. The lead character Jesse Rosen is handsome and is convincing as a confused man. However, the story telling is not so good. It fails to create tension or suspense. There is little to stir the emotions of viewers, which I find a fatal flaw. The only interesting character is Rachel Castillo, whose performance is the most natural and convincing. I guess "The Art of Being Straight" might be an autobiographical account from the writer. It is not terrible, it is not particularly entertaining either.
Surprising Flick
This movie surprised me on many different levels. I was scratching my head, however, coming here and finding a relatively low rating. The comments, though, are fairly spot-on. I am very wary when somebody gets listed as writer, star and director. In the case of this movie, I realized very early on that Mr. Rosen is not only very good with dialogue, but also with conveying characters that are multi-faceted. The performances in this film, especially of Rosen and his female lead, Rachel Castillo, are very strong. It is helped by a script that is very believable, for the most part. There were many instances where gestures and the economy of less dialogue caused moments that were very moving and impressive. What prevented me from giving this film a higher rating was the disappointing nature of the interaction between Rosen and his best friends. As another commenter stated, outside of his best friend, they hardly seemed straight. Which is quite odd, because some of the supporting casting is very well done. But the whole last scene seemed to me as if the production ran out of money. Exactly where you think there will be some dramatic tension when his friends may react to the fact that he had outed himself to another friend, the movie just stops and doesn't even deal with it. I assume Rosen was trying to make the case that after coming out, one's friends will treat you exactly as they did before (well, if they are enlightened friends, yes). But, in this movie, one never knows, because it doesn't get addressed, which makes no sense because prior scenes allude to the fact that it might be a problem. Summary: The positives: Some of the most realistic representations ever written about the coming out process, some very nuanced and strong performances. The negatives: It is an unfinished work. It just ends. Some of the friends are badly miscast. Overall....this movie shows Rosen has an awful lot of talent. Definitely worth checking out. But don't expect much in the way of the film's resolution. It is, as was written earlier, a slice of life. Just not a complete slice.
A pleasant, strange, weak, sweet movie.
Jesse Rosen is a very attractive guy with a wonderful smile--although his hair line recedes oddly throughout the movie as though he's two days from going bald--and plays young-and-sexually-confused well. His female friend who's going through her own confusion does a better job, though, mostly because her character has something of an arc to follow (and better lines to recite). As others have pointed out, the biggest problem here is that just as the third act of the movie starts, and the resolution of the issues begins to settle, the movie ends. For a moment I thought something was wrong with the TV, but nope, it's as though Rosen just decided, let's stop here while I think about how to end this. Still, the movie is worth seeing just for its pleasant, rather realistic recreation of young 20-somethings in LA in 2008.
A pilot film for a TV series
A closet 'bottom'(the term used by his friend in the film) finds himself in somebody's dreams. He's all dizzy from a recent breakup with the girl back home and all fresh to LA with his cute big eyes and smile to die for. Who will resist him? The boys are not unaware of his charms and shoot pool, throw balls, get pally and all sweaty with John and wonder why he looks so darn aloof when he walks straight past them looking mysterious and glossy. Little do they know that all our John is really doing is developing his photo career with his boss like any normal boy would, behind their backs. If only John knew what he was doing getting all tied up in his secret life! John's confusion takes him to that familiar architype 'the predatory queen' who with that man's man look(no girlyboy for him)is probably in post boyfriend fallout and keen to shift John into gay gear and top him. This seduction scene is the best scene in the film of course. Very very funny. And so well done. The whole film would make a great sitcom and as others have already pointed out here, the fact that it ends suddenly and all too soon could be its cue here in my opinion.....more to come? Yes please. Three cheers to its director, main lead and writer who may have unwittingly introduced a much needed theme to our movie screens...bisexuality, but notice how everyone in the film assumes that if the main character John sleeps with a guy he is automatically gay. Why? Is this the point the script is making or is that true to life? Is it not possible for John to like both equally? None of his friends say its cool to dig both. They think in black or white it seems to me. But that's the point...why? Obviously its nice to be left thinking a film has ended, but clearly there's much more ground to cover...so go for it Mr Rosen sir. Develop the plot in a part two, three four.... Does John coming out as a Gay man mean he'll be saying goodbye to his obvious enjoyment sleeping with females? Or will he now be the exclusive Gay he never realised he was? See what I mean? No. Then see the film or think about it please. There are some questions here that further episodes could play with... It is my humble opinion that once you see the film you may like me feel that John's fratpad may expose some further closet 'bottoms'. I'm thinking of the character Jon played by Jesse Janson who kept picking on our hero and calling him gay etc. And in these days of Bromance if Mr Rosen will not write the next bit, then I will. Here is a tremendous opportunity to open up a few more bisexual closets or even a gay one or two along the way. This is a good pilot film for a promising TV series...if not...well then it should be...I rest my case.
Won me over with the performances
This is a very "slice of life" film. I normally prefer movies with a stronger plot. However, the quality of the performances completely won me over, and I wound up enjoying it a lot. Basically, the movie is about a young guy who moves to LA and has a gay experience with his boss. He's not sure what it means, and it's never really clear whether he is gay or not. The rest of the movie involves the repercussions for him and his relationship with his straight friends. In a parallel plot line, his lesbian friend is having trouble in her relationship, and is considering sleeping with a guy. The plot is pretty thin, and the movie was clearly shot on a very slight budget. But the performances are completely engrossing. Also, the sexually ambiguous nature of the two leading characters is something that I haven't seen depicted in film before. It feels very fresh and contemporary.